Internet searching is a popular way for internet users to collect information about products that they are considering for purchase. Popular web search engines, such as GOOGLE®, YAHOO! ® and LIVE SEARCH® (formerly MSN SEARCH®), rely on user-inputted, keyword-based search queries in order to provide links to relevant web pages and web documents arranged in relevancy-ranked lists. Accordingly, users can input search queries in an effort to find web pages and web documents that focus on the category of products or specific products they wish to learn about.
Search engines provide users with the ability to educate themselves about the products of interest to the extent such information is deemed relevant to the user-inputted search queries and is available. Thus, search engines often aid users in making informed decisions regarding purchasing products of interest. Nevertheless, the actual comparison of the products and decision-making processes are left to the users as this is beyond the intended purposes of a search engine.
Popular search engine firms rely on search advertising as a major source of income. The fact that internet users often use search engines with an eye towards purchasing products makes them particularly appealing to advertisers who are attempting to reach their target consumer audience. Since popular internet search engines rely on keywords in providing results, it follows that search advertising is also sold and delivered on the basis of keywords.
Popular search engine firms conduct running auctions to sell advertising space according to the bids received for keywords. Higher demand keywords command higher bid prices. Typically, advertisers are charged based on click-throughs and not merely the display of their advertisements in response to the keywords. Popular search engines thus typically position advertisements on the search result pages based, at least in part, on click-through rates (“CTRs”).